Now Or Never
by soulsistersinaslan
Summary: Legolas/OC/Aragorn.  Fate works in funny ways.  What is meant to be, is.  What is not meant to be, is not.  Emma makes a wish.  Will Legolas and Aragorn be the ones to grant her wish, or will Fate have other plans?  Come inside to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own __LOTR. Just my original characters._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 1:**

"Emma! Get your ass down here! Emma! Get down here you goddamn woman! I said now! Emma!"

It was always the same. Get this, get that, stupid whore, goddamn woman. It would be nice if _he_ would call me something different from time to time. A girl can get tired of the domesticated life faster than one would think. Well, I shouldn't really call my life domesticated because the technical term would be 'abusive relationship'. Any and all types of abuse – verbal, physical, mental – the list could go on. I know I should leave, I've actually tried a few times in the past but they all failed. Every failure resulted in even worse consequences. Besides it's not like I have anywhere else to go. No one wants a 26-year-old, washed-up, has-been, or a never-was for that matter.

No matter how hard I try or how good I do it, it is never enough for anyone. Not my friends, not my co-workers, not my parents and it sure as hell is never good enough for _him_. Some days I'm not even a blip on the radar screen and others...well, lets just say I wish I was invisible. I used to believe and have faith that I would accomplish my dreams and goals. I still have them, the dreams and goals, but I've learned to accept what lot I was given in life. I was gonna be someone people would be proud of. The only one proud of myself now is me. I thought he would change, realize how much I really meant to him. Instead _I _was the one who realized just how much I was worth to him – nothing. There's a line from a movie that I remember from when I was a little girl: sometimes it's better to be alone, that way no one can hurt you. Yeah, don't I know it.

"Emma! Don't make me come up there! Girl I'm warning you! Emma! Now I'm mad! Emma!"

I can hear his large feet stomping up the stairs. I wonder if they are splintering under his weight. He's not ft by all means, more like all muscle – big, heavy, meaty muscle. He's tall, too, around 6'5'' and he got himself one of those California spray-on tans. Dark hair cropped close to his head, beady little black eyes that would no sooner look at you than burn your soul. A sneer twisted his non-existent lips, teenage pimples on his close-to-40-year-old face, and sweat stained skin and clothes that one could smell from a mile away. He's wearing an old undershirt that was once white, now yellow and probably from his college glory days. His old gray sweatpants are stretched almost to the limit by his waist and ankles. His pudgy bare feet leave imprints in the light blue carpeting on the stairs. I'm scared of him, but my pride won't let my fear express itself. Whatever has put him in such a foul mood must be really awful. I have no doubt that it's most likely something I did or didn't do. I'm always the problem.

I hope this time won't be as bad or as long as the last time he was like this. I block it out anyway, go to my special place where no one can find me. But when I return there is always proof that he was there. It hurts but I've learned how to hide it and deal with it later, lick my wounds in private. I'm not worth saving. I couldn't even save myself so why would anyone try to help a hopeless cause. It's just another of my dreams that are no more.

"Emma! I swear to God I'm gonna kill you! Where the hell are you? Emma! You're mine girl!"

A shooting star flies past my window in the middle of the night. I lie on the bed, _his_ bed, the _only_ bed, and make a wish. It won't come true but it will help me sleep tonight. The pain is intense, it will never heal. It will never fade. My wish will go unanswered like always. It is too much to ask to be saved, to be free, to be loved, to have respect. I've seen what it's like to have all those things – it's happiness. I want happiness but I can't have it. I'm not allowed. He only finished about 10 minutes ago and now I'm lying here all alone, empty, while he is sound asleep. I want out, but I will always be here. The last word that floats through my conscious mind before I fell asleep is one last plea to the heavens for help. _Please_.

* * *

It was just another day. Nothing to get excited about just the same old routine. Wake up, get dressed, make breakfast, punishment, fix make-up, go to work, be ignored, come home, make dinner, get yelled at, go upstairs to read, punishment, get a shower, go to bed. Just to get up and do it all over again the next day. Nothing special. I wish that something could be somewhat different once in a while. Maybe someday I'll have the courage to change my life. _It will never happen_, I thought with a sigh. I rolled over trying to cling to the last remnants of my only peaceful time of the day and felt a large uncomfortable knot in my back. I stretched, trying to to relieve the tension only to cause more to form all over my body. My sheets and pillows are by no means comfortable but they never felt like I was sleeping on the ground. I opened my eyes to help myself get out of the tangle I knew I was in and saw that today was not just another day.

Trees, and lots of them, surrounded me on every side. Slowly I rose to my feet checking that everything was in its proper place on me. Once I was certain that I was still in one piece I decided to take good look at my surroundings to get a feel for where I might be. I had to be close to the house because there was a pretty large forest in the backyard. It was after all, Montana. The trees, so green and lush, reached a height so magnificent that the great redwoods of California would hang their branches in shame. Each leaf appeared to have a life of its own, bending and swaying with the slight breeze. Even the foliage that decorated the forest floor seemed to be thriving. With each breath I took I could sense everything around me - the bird's soft sweet singing, the animals padding on their little feet as they walked along, the breath of the trees as they took in the beautiful day. I had never realized how magical nature could be in its true form until that moment. These were not the woods near the house. Was I alone? Was I finally free? Or was this some joke that _he_ decided would be amusing to play on me? It didn't matter to me. For now, I was free.

With no one around but myself I saw no harm in taking a stroll around the area, do a little exploring. Heading off towards my right I let my instincts lead the way. Each piece of wildlife I passed seemed to be curious as to why I was in their habitat. The forest gave off a homey feeling and emitted a peaceful atmosphere. It was easily the nicest place I've ever been. Maybe it was because there were no people around. I liked being by myself, I wasn't scared. I know I should have been, but I couldn't help but feel right at home underneath the luscious foliage of the welcoming forest. However, I had this odd sensation that I was under the watchful eyes of someone who guarded paradise. Wherever I placed my eyes there was nothing out of the ordinary to be seen. But I couldn't shake the feeling. It wasn't a bad feeling, more like a sense of protection and safety even though I was most likely trespassing. I padded quietly along for a while and noticed that the forest was not as dense as it was where I started. _This must be the way out_, I thought to myself. The soft tinkling sound of a bubbling stream reached my ears. I started to go in that direction. No more than three steps in that direction and I had a very deadly arrow aiming straight between my eyes. No, not an ordinary day at all.

* * *

There was no way I was anywhere near my house. I was completely frozen in my place. I couldn't run even if I wanted to. There was also the fact that I could not escape because I was immediately surrounded by arrows from all sides after I let a small frightened 'eep' fall out of my mouth. Their aim was true and their eyes suspicious. However, what caught my attention was their odd physical appearance. They wore mid-thigh length tunics in different shades of brown over long-sleeved shirts of varied golds. Their leggings appeared to be of a velvet material, yet tougher, in dark chocolate brown color. Boots came up to mid-calf and seemed comfortable and durable. They wore half of their hair pulled back away from their faces - only two out of the six had dark brown hair like me. Each had two small braids on the sides of their heads highlighting their ears...their _pointed_ ears. _ Exactly where am I_, I asked myself.

"Stop! Who are you? Who enters this sacred haven?" asked one with brown hair.

I was so shocked that the proverbial cat had gotten my tongue. All I could do was stare at these strange, beautiful beings and this did not please them.

"Who are you? State what business you have in these woods. Speak now," he said again.

I finally got the courage to speak but when I did my voice sounded even more soft and meek than usual. I was in trouble and I knew it.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I-I-I didn't know this was private property. If you could just show me which way is out then I-I-I-I'll leave. I pro-promise. I didn't mean to upset anyone. I'm just lost," I managed to stutter.

"Where do you hail from?" one with blond hair questioned.

_Hail_, I thought, _did I get thrown back in time to the Middle Ages or something?_

"I'm from Butte, Montana," I replied.

And for that I received some strange looks as if they had no clue what I was talking about.

"You know, just beyond the border of the forest? Montana, United States, North America?" I questioned hopefully.

Nothing. They spoke to each other in another language, a strange yet beautifully calming language. I assumed they were discussing me so I tried to help the situation along and stay in their good graces, for they had yet to lower their weapons.

"I don't want to cause any problems," I began and all eyes landed on me, "I'm just lost. I just want to go home. Can you help me, please?"

I suppose they felt sorry for me because when the one with the brown hair, who just spoke to me, spoke again it was in a gentler tone than before.

"My lady, I do not know of the place you hail from, this Butte, Montana. None of my companions are familiar with it either. Come, we shall escort you to our home and perhaps with the help and wisdom of Lord Elrond, you will be able to find your way home. But first I must inquire as to your name for I should like to know the name of Rivendell's newest and most fair guest," he spoke softly.

"My name is Emma Bell," I answered.

"I thank you Lady Emma for gracing us with your name. Now, if you will follow us. It is only a short walk from here to the palace. Come now, this way," he said as he began walking toward my right.

I had no choice but to follow seeing as how I was in the middle of their little group. Well, at least they put their weapons away for now. That had to be a good sign. Maybe someone would be able to help me get back. Although I don't know why I suddenly had a longing for home. It must be because I was in a new place and I didn't know anyone or anything about it. I knew I could not want to go back to _him_ and _his_ ways. No thank you. My only hope of getting any answers lied within the city walls we were fast approaching.

No, this was truly not another ordinary day.

* * *

**AN: Well, this is my first attempt at LOTR fanfiction so please be nice. I hope you all like and will send me reviews. So please click the link at the bottom and please send me some love.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own __LOTR. Just my original characters._

**Chapter 2:**

True to his word the palace was only a minutes walk from where they found me. We exited a small grove of trees and entered into one of the most magnificent cities I had ever seen. Seemingly growing out of the mountain top was what I assumed to be a royal palace. There was a beautiful stone bridge, arched over a rippling creek that we walked over to enter the palace. I turned my head left and right trying to take in everything. Tranquil, hand-carved arches and gazebos covered a patio that encompassed the entire palace, which grew into the sky from the carved, stone pillars upon which it sat. Graceful towers poked their way into the clouds while the roof gently sloped down, providing shelter for the inhabitants. Intricate carvings decorated every available surface that we passed, some depicting people with those funny ears, some telling a story in a sequence of events, and others depicting various pants and animals that must reside in the forest. As we ascended the grand staircase to enter the palace I noticed that there was hardly any windows. The entire building was open to the forest and the elements from which it emerged. _What an amazing place, I wish I lived here_, I thought.

I was pulled from my musings by the sound of the grand doors closing behind me. We were now inside the palace. The hallway in which we stood was decorated simply, yet royally. There were enormous paintings and tapestries adorning the walls, with a burgundy, red carpet stretching from the doors to the end of the hallway and beyond. Guards were stationed at regular intervals along the entry way in their full uniform and armor. I was lead into a room by the two men with dark hair, the others having left us at some point before. There were many people in the room bustling here and there, every which way.

It was smaller than I thought it would be, but still very beautiful. Arches served as windows on one side of the room and stretched from the floor to the ceiling. There were small benches and chairs lining the opposite wall, providing visitors with a place to rest while waiting to speak with the king. Gold gilding adorned the walls and soft, candlelight chandeliers hung from the ceiling to provide light when the sun disappeared for the night. There was a slightly raised platform near the back of the room, upon which the royal thrones sat, five in total. The two in the middle were more intricately carved while the other three simpler in their design. They were all made out of a rich, dark cherry wood and shined in the twinkling sunlight that danced around the room. The two dark-haired men lead me right up to the man and woman sitting on the thrones, weaving and twisting and turning through the crowd. They shared a look over my head and then said something in that strange language to the king and queen, resulting in the four of them looking at me.

"Welcome to Rivendell, young one. May I ask your name?" the king asked.

"My name is Emma Bell, your majesty," I answered.

"Lady Emma, I welcome you to my kingdom. I am Lord Elrond, and this is my queen, Lady Celebrian. You have already met my sons, Elladan and Elrohir. I trust they treated you with the utmost respect on your journey here?"

My mind briefly went back to when they had their arrows pointed in my face. Though I wanted to tell the truth I did not want to get them in trouble.

"Yes, sir. They were very respectful and most helpful."

"That is most pleasing to hear," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "My sons have informed me that were found by their scouting party. They tell me you hail from a foreign land they have no knowledge of. Tell me, child, where are you from?"

"Butte, Montana, sir."

He was silent for a moment, taking time to think over what I said. Even before he spoke, I could see it in his expression that he did not know of my hometown.

"You must forgive me, my lady, but I cannot seem to place the location you mentioned."

"I understand, sir. If you could maybe tell me of someone who would know how to get me home, I will be out of your way," I sighed.

"Oh nonsense, child! You will do no such thing! A dear friend of ours will be arriving in a few days and I am confident that he will be able to answer all of your questions," replied the queen.

I found myself at a loss for words. I could not believe that this gracious woman would extend her friendship to me when she had only known of my existence for mere moments.

"And do not worry about finding a place of lodging. You are officially a royal guest and shall be treated as such. Ariella," she called and a young girl about my age stepped forward, "please prepare a room for my guest in the royal chambers. And please take her belongings with you. Thank you, Ariella," Lady Celebrian said.

"Um, pardon me, my queen, but...well...I-I don't have any belongings with me," I said meekly, afraid that I had spoken out of turn.

"No belongings," Lord Elrond chuckled, "but surely you must have some things with you. You have traveled very far, from a place none have heard of, and have no provisions? I find this hard to believe! Ariella, please collect Lady Emma's things."

"Forgive me, your majesty, for correcting you but I honestly do not have anything with me, except for the clothes on my back," I said softly.

"It is true, father. We found her wandering around with nothing. That is why we decided to bring her back here," said one of the men standing next to me.

Lord Elrond conferred with his wife for a few seconds before answering his son.

"Thank you, Elladan. I apologize, Lady Emma, for doubting you. I hope you will find your new accommodations to your liking. Ariella will show you to your room," he concluded.

"I'm sure they will be. Thank you for your generosity. I truly appreciate it," I said as I took a small curtsy before following the young girl out of the throne room.

She lead me through a maze of hallways and staircases. At some point we were walking outside through the grounds. I was only here for a few moments and I knew that I could easily fall in love with this place. We finally reached the royal chambers. We stopped at a step of doors, simple yet elegant in design. She pushed the doors open and allowed me inside as she entered after me. To say that the room was beautiful was a gross understatement. The floor was a soft, warm golden marble with small flecks of gold that glistened in the sunlight. There was an entire wall made of windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. They were in the form of decorative arches and were open at the moment, allowing the soft breeze to dance through the numerous sheer curtains that draped along that wall. The open window doors lead to a very spacious balcony that overlooked some part of the forest. Pulling my gaze back into the room I noticed the hand-painted mural that decorated the rest of the room. It was like an extension of the forest itself, with large trees providing a shelter for the forest dwellers while endlessly reaching toward the sky. The foliage was a charming blend of greens and golds, highlighted and shaded in some places. There were bursts of color that formed into some of the most exotic flowers that I had ever seen, so realistic that I was severely tempted to smell them on the wall. Small critters such as rabbits, deer, and foxes dotted the mural here and there near the bottom of the walls, while vine, branches, and twigs twisted and turned right up into the vaulted ceiling, blending nicely with the carvings in the stone and marble that made up the ceiling. There were several crystal and gold chandeliers that hung low from the ceiling, with gold, cream and beige candles waiting to be lit for the night.

I shifted my eyes around the room, noticing the large, golden fireplace that nearly stretched across half of one of the walls. It was intricately carved with leaves and vines coming together to form a woman and man in the center. I noticed there were several chairs and lounges around the room in varying shades of green, brown and cream, some in front of the fireplace and others near the windows. There was a large bookcase in one corner, filled with books of varying sizes and small trinkets. A magnificent vanity set was near a door that must of lead to the washroom, and next to a rather large armoir. And with a final sweep around the room, my eyes focused on the largest, most comfortable, gorgeous bed I had ever seen. It was a large, king-sized, four poster bed with a charming headboard and footboard. The large posters measured several feet up and twined together to create a leafy canopy. Sheer, cream colored curtains and other drapery encased the bed, but were tied back with some ribbons and ropes near the posts. Numerous pillows of greens, browns, golds, and creams provided a soft resting place for anyone who would lay their head down, and the sheets appeared to be floating on a cloud.

I was having a hard time believing that this was going to be my room while I stayed here and I decided to voice my thoughts to Ariella.

"Ariella, are you sure we are in the right room? Doesn't this seem to be a bit much, especially for someone the king and queen just met?"

"No, Lady Emma. Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian never do anything for someone that they don't deserve. You are obviously very important to them and you will be treated as an extension of them while you are here."

"Do they do this for all of their guests?"

"No, my lady, only the special ones."

With that, she told me to feel free to explore and that dinner would be served in a few hours. She left quietly and softly closed the door behind her. I took a deep breath and decided to take a quick nap before dinner, to regain my strength and hopefully clear my mind. I bent down to unlace my shoes when I realized that I was still in my pajamas from the night before, leaving me absolutely mortified that I stood before royalty looking like a total mess. I managed to hoist myself on the bed and crawled to the middle, laying down on the numerous pillows. _So this is what it feels like to sleep on a cloud_, I thought. I yawned and snuggled down into the bed, falling into one of the most peaceful night's rest I ever had.

* * *

**Back in the throne room...**

"That is all for today. Please return to your homes and businesses. We will see those who were not seen today, tomorrow. Thank you," Lord Elrond declared.

Most of the elves exited the throne room, leaving only the royal family and a few guards that were posted outside of the doors. Elladan and Elrohir approached their parents, slightly apprehensive about the conversation that would soon be taking place.

"Where is your brother?" their mother asked.

"Who knows. But wherever he is, he is most likely with Leaf. You know how they can be," Elrohir answered.

"He has not wandered off of the palace grounds again, has he?" she questioned again.

"No mother, he is somewhere on the grounds. Of that we are sure. We did not see him on our scout around the borders. He will turn up soon enough. Dinner is in a few hours," replied Elrohir.

"Estel will be here soon, my love. That boy never misses a meal. Now, I believe we need to discuss a more important matter. Please tell us again how you and your scouting party came across that odd young maiden," Elrond said.

"It is as simple as we said before. We came across her as we were returning to the city. She just appeared out of the trees like some forest nymph. She doesn't understand our language but she speaks the Common Tongue. But she moved as if she were an elf, father. We didn't hear her until she was almost right behind us," said Elladan.

"And she was wearing that strange garb when you found her?"

"Yes, father."

Lord Elrond was silent for a moment. He could not recall the town and country the young maiden claimed to be from and had never seen any dress like hers. He placed his fingers against his temples and rubbed deeply. With a sigh, he looked to his wife.

"What are we going to do with her? Mithrandir will not arrive for a few more days but I don't want our people to become suspicious. But we cannot displace her. I sense no ill will in her so tell me, what do I do?"

"We make her feel welcome here. Do not fret, my lord, for the wizard will know who she is and her purpose here in Middle Earth. Come, let us see if we can find our missing son before dinner. He should be informed of our guest before he meets her," she said as she rose from her throne.

Elrond sighed as he watched her kiss her twin sons before leaving the room. He sighed one last time before removing himself from his throne, making his way down to his sons.

"Your mother is right. We will treat Lady Emma with the respect and dignity that she deserves. We will figure out this mystery when Mithrandir arrives. Now, go refresh yourselves and try to stay clean for dinner. Your mother will have my head if you show up covered in filth like last month."

The twins snickered and then burst out laughing as they heard their mother scold their father. With one final glare at the boys, Elrond left to accompany his wife on her search for their missing son. The twins finally managed to control themselves as they left the room, making their was to their own rooms in the royal chambers.

"So what do you think our dear parents are going to find when they locate our little brother?" asked Elorhir with a smirk on his handsome face.

"I am not sure, dear brother. But I am sure it will be just as funny as that scene they caused the other week," replied Elladan.

"Hmm, I place my bet on the two of them stark naked in the Lovers' Fountain, going at it like a couple of lust driven elflings."

"Come now, 'Ro, that will not happen again. I think they truly learned their lesson last time. No, they will be caught with their hands down their pants. Father will want to interrupt them with a fierce lecture about proper social behavior and mother will stop him as usual. I do believe we we will be in for a boring night tonight."

"Oh, 'Dan, you are no fun."

They chuckled together once more before confining themselves to their separate rooms, to avoid the temptation of being anything less than spotless for dinner.

* * *

**At the same time in the Royal Gardens...**

They fell, side by side on their backs, breathing hard as their bare torsos glistened with sweat. Slowly, their breathing returned to normal and they turned their heads to face each other. Blue eyes sizzled and sparked and smiles crept across their faces. Weapons lay forgotten as two minds focused on more pleasurable matters. The darker of the two male elves rolled over on top of the lighter elf, crushing their lips together. Their embrace was passionate, intense, fiery. Lips pulled, teeth nipped and nibbled, tongues pushed and dueled. Hands tangled in hair and gripped necks, feeling their pulses race with passion. They slowed their caresses, pulling apart slowly and placing their foreheads together.

"Ah, my love, how tempt me," Aragorn said with a husky voice.

"You are quite tempting yourself, Estel," echoed Legolas in a breathy tone.

They pressed their lips together once more before separating. Legolas pushed himself into a sitting position before leaning back on his hands, while Aragorn folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

"Dinner will be ready soon," said Aragorn.

"Yes, I suppose we should make our way inside to prepare," replied Legolas.

"I'd like to be inside alright," Aragorn said with a smirk teasing his lips.

"Now, now my love, you know we have no time for that. As much fun as that would be, you know how your mother is when you are late for a family dinner."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Do you think we might be able to sneak off after dinner for a few hours to ourselves?"

"Estel!" Legolas whined.

"I know, I know. It's just that it has been so long since we have truly been able to spend time together."

"What do you call the past three hours?"

"Training practice."

"Aragorn," Legolas sighed, "I, too, long to steal away with but we have duties to attend, people to rule, kingdoms to manage. The war has been over for nearly a century but that does not mean that all things are back to normal. You know this as well as I do."

Aragorn sighed heavily and sat up, reaching a hand out to hold his lover's cheek.

"I know, my greenleaf. And I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, to keep us safe. I just can't help but long for true peace so that we may live out our lives."

Legolas gazed into Aragorn's sunlit eyes, watching as the light seemed to brighten his clear, blue eyes. He leaned in and briefly kissed his lips. Pulling back, he said with a mischievous smile, "If it weren't for this fur on your face, I would consider you the most beautiful being to ever grace Middle Earth."

"You are quite the comedian, 'Las," he replied with a wry chuckle.

Their quiet moment was interrupted by the tinkling laugh of Lady Celebrian. She and Elrond emerged from behind a gazebo and into the clearing where the two lovers sat.

"It is nice to see you boys in one piece and inside the palace grounds," Elrond joked.

"Father," Aragorn whined, "why are you still holding that over me?"

"Of course not! I would never do such a thing!" he laughed.

"Ignore your father. I find that to be most effective when dealing with him," Celebrian smiled.

This earned a few hearty laughs from the young elves. Once they composed themselves, they pulled themselves off the ground and began to gather their belongings.

"Before you clean yourselves up for dinner, I would like to inform you that we have a guest," Elrond said.

"Oh, has Mithrandir arrived already? I thought he was not due here for nearly a week," said Legolas.

"No, my dear boy. Mithrandir is not here yet but he will be here within the next day or two. No, this guest was rather unexpected," said Elrond.

"How so?" questioned Aragorn.

"Your brothers stumbled upon her on their return from their scouting mission. They didn't even hear her until she was but a few feet behind them," said Celebrian.

"Her?" Aragorn and Legolas nearly shouted.

"Yes, her. And she has a name. You shall address her as Lady Emma Bell and I expect her to be treated with the utmost respect," Elrond ordered. "That means absolutely no pranks or jokes, and I trust you two will be able to manage the twins should they get out of control?"

"Yes, Lord Elrond. We shall be on our most royal behavior and we shall watch for Elladan and Elrohir," Legolas said soothingly.

"Wonderful! Now, please ready yourselves for dinner. It will be a small affair tonight along with Lady Emma. If you boys will excuse me I must prepare myself and assist Lady Emma in her preparations as well," Celebrian said.

She softly kissed her husband's cheek before exiting the gardens. The men made sure to make light conversation until they knew for sure that she was no longer within hearing distance.

"Father, you know as well as I do that this woman did not just appear in our forest. You are sure they saw nothing and heard only the sounds of the forest until she was right upon them?"

"Yes, my son. I questioned them repeatedly and could sense that they were telling the truth."

"Did you sense any suspicious from her? Do we have reason to worry?" asked Legolas.

"No, little leaf. I could only feel her confusion and apprehension about being in an unfamiliar place. There was no evil in the girl but..." he trailed off.

"But what?" Aragorn asked his father.

"She has known evil. I fear she has known of one the greatest evils to ever plague the race of men. I am not sure so I will not make an assumption until I have proof."

"How old is she?" asked Legolas.

"I believe she is no more than twenty-five years at most. A mere child child to us, yet an adult in her race."

They were silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

"We will continue this conversation once Mithrandir arrives. That wizard should have an answer for our questions. He always seems to have an answer for everything else," Elrond said wryly.

"Yes, father. We shall go prepare ourselves for dinner."

"Aragorn," Elrond called as his son and his lover started to leave, "I expect you both to be on time and properly attired."

They both chuckled and left Lord Elrond to his thoughts in the garden. _Oh Mithrandir, what have you gotten us into now my dear friend_, he thought to himself. And with that, Elrond made his way back inside to his private rooms in order to prepare himself for tonight's dinner.

* * *

**AN: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing my story! It makes me so happy to see all of you that have added my story to your alerts and favorites. I just wanna apologize for any mistakes. I do not have a Beta and I am doing this on my own. With that said, please review again. They make my day, knowing that people are enjoying this story. So click the link and send me some love. Also, let me know if there is anything you would like to see happen at the family dinner in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own the Lord of the Rings. Only my original characters._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 3:**

A lone rider approached the gates to the kingdom, cloaked in a heavy white cape. The guards were on edge, not recognizing the guest who had arrived so late in the day. They did lower their weapons, but called out to the mysterious rider.

"Who goes there?"

"You do not recognize your friend? Tell me, young ones, how are you to recognize your enemy if you cannot sense your allies?"

The guards looked at each other in confusion, before one turned back to the lone rider and smiled.

"Mithrandir, old friend. Your cunning ways are better than ever."

"Yes, young one. My wit has not suffered my age as my body clearly displays. Tell me, has dinner commenced?"

"It shall commence in a few hours. Shall you need an escort?"

"No, that is quite alright. I shall stable my horse and then seek your Lord. There are things we must discuss before dinner."

Both guards stepped aside and allowed the great wizard to pass through.

"What could he possibly want at this time? Merucla, what is going on? Do you think it has something to do with that maiden the princes found in the forest?"

"I do not know, Dyll. Though I have a feeling that something big is going to happen. And soon."

That signaled the end of their conversation, each going back to their own thoughts and turning their eyes back to the landscape in front of them. Mirthrandir's arrival was no coincidence. Something was coming. Something was coming soon.

* * *

**Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian's Sitting Room...**

Lord Elrond had finished preparing himself for the family dinner they would be having shortly. His wife was still readying herself, but he didn't mind. She always looked beautiful to him, but she was simply breathtaking when she was dressed up. He was also left with some time alone with his thoughts. These most recent events left him deeply troubled. This girl, this tiny little waif of a girl had turned all of their lives upside down without even trying. She was so innocent, so fragile. Yet she showed such great strength, not even flinching in the face of the unknown. She was in a completely different world than her own, she was all alone, and she placed her trust in the ruling monarchs, knowing that she could possibly be thrown in the dungeons or worse, put to death.

Lord Elrond sighed heavily. This was too much to handle right now. He had to prepare for the summer solstice which was fast approaching. They only had two months to finish their preparations and he had a feeling that this girl would set their plans back. They could miss this event. It was one of the most sacred days of the elven calendar. It was one of two days that the gods and goddesses of old could be seen walking among them. He heaved a heavy sigh again, bringing his fingertips to rest against his temples. Unfortunately, no amount of rubbing or massaging would relieve his headache.

Three quick knocks sounded on his door, snapping him out of his thoughts. He stood and quickly made his way to open his doors, knowing that only his sons and daughter were allowed anywhere near his room. Though, when he opened the door, he was slightly surprised to see the White Wizard standing there. But his face quickly melted into an understanding expression. Mithrandir would know what was going on, even though he was very early.

"Mithrandir! I am surprised to see you here. You are much earlier than expected. What constitutes this early visit. All is well I hope?"

"Yes, yes, all is well. It is nearly perfect in fact. Do I need a reason to come and visit my old friend?"

"No, of course not. Though you usually do have some type of ulterior motive."

"Ah, you know me well. Now, tell me about Lady Emma. I heard that she made quite the impression on your twin sons," he said with a twinkling smile.

He should have known. One could not hide anything from the wizard. _Oh, how I hate that man_, Elrond thought. He went on to explain how his sons had found her wandering in the forest and brought her back to him and his wife. He explained her story, word for word, as she explained it to him. He also told Mithrandir of the talk he had with his youngest son, Estel, and his lover, Legolas. When he got to this point in the story, he noticed Mithrandir's eyes light up. Why, he did not know, but he knew he youngest son was involved somehow. He finished his tale and sat back in his chair. The air was silent, but peaceful. And then Mithrandir spoke.

"It seems the time has come, my friend."

"The time has come for what?"

"A new beginning for the race of elves. A new dawn."

"I do not understand. You are speaking in riddles again."

"I do not speak in riddles, my friend. Your brain is just too slow to keep up with an old man such as myself."

"I highly doubt that. Explain yourself, wizard."

"The prophecy."

"What prophecy?"

"You know of the one of which I speak."

"I know every riddle from rhyme in all races of Middle Earth. You are going to have to be more specific than that."

"Ah, I see."

"Well?"

"Your son, Estel."

"What does he have to do with this?"

"He has everything to do with this, Elrond. The time has come for him to become the elf he was born to be."

Elrond was silent for a moment, frantically racking his brain for the correct information to understand the crazy wizard. A few seconds passed before a light sparked in his eyes. He snapped his head up and looked Mithrandir in the eye fiercely. With a simple nod of the head from his friend, Elrond knew that he was right. The prophecy was at hand. And it would change his son and his people in ways he could only imagine.

"What must I do?" he asked as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"_You_, must do nothing. It is young Estel that must do something."

"I cannot sit back and watch him fall apart over this. He loves the young greenleaf. He loves him with everything he has and I know that love is returned. No, I will not do nothing."

"If you interfere, you will cause your son pain so great as to rival _Beren_ and _Lúthien. You do not want to do this._"

"Of course not! I will not standby, however, and let you play with his life! He is his own self. He can make decisions for himself. He has chosen Legolas. He is happy. I beg that you let him be!"

"But wouldn't it be much better if he were truly happy? He is happy now, yes, but there is so much more for him."

"I will not put him through that! He should not have to make that choice!"

"Yes, he does. And you know it."

"Leave him be!"

"What is all this yelling about? Elrond, what is going on? Who is – OH! Mithrandir! What a pleasant surprise! We were not expecting you until later this season. I am so happy to see you well," said Celebrian as she entered the sitting room.

There was a tense silence in the air that did not go unnoticed by her majesty.

"What is going on here? Elrond?"

But her husband was silent. Still as a mountain, unshakable. She knew she would get no answers out of him. She turned to the old wizard, hope shining in her eyes.

"My dear friend, please. I beg you, tell me what is the matter? Has something happened? Is there bad news?"

"No, my dear lady, there is nothing wrong. This all just a simple misunderstanding. No need for worry."

"LIES! How dare you say that? Are you that much of a coward as to lie to my wife about her son?"

"Elrond, what –"

"This crazy wizard is trying to kill my son, our son! I won't stand for it!"

"Are you mad? Elrond, what has gotten into you?"

"There is nothing wrong with me. I protect my family from all threats, no matter the source," he said in a deadly voice.

Mithrandir merely smiled, knowing his friend was lashing out in fear for his son's life.

"Mithrandir, I apologize for his behavior. I honestly do not know what has gotten into him. Please do not take offense to his madness," she said as she glared at her husband.

"Fret not, my dear. I know why he acts out as he does. He will calm down when he is ready to, and not a moment before."

Elrond continued to mutter under his breath, throwing glares at both of them as he paced up and down in the room.

"Will you tell me what this misunderstanding is about?" the queen asked.

"Of course, my dear. It is time for the prophecy."

"Which prophecy?"

"The one concerning your youngest son."

"So soon?"

"Yes, though I must say I expected this to occur much sooner than now. But better late than never, or so the saying goes."

"But is he ready?"

"Yes, he is ready."

"You know how I feel about prophecies. Several have nearly destroyed my family in the past. Why should this one be any different? Is there nothing we can do to stop it?"

"I'm afraid not. In all my wizarding years, I have learned to let things happen as they should, for all works out in the end as it is meant to be. Estel will be fine. Legolas will be fine. Emma will be fine."

"Lady Emma?" the queen gasped, with a hand on her heart.

"Yes, Lady Emma."

"She is the one the prophecy speaks of?"

"Yes. Magnificent, isn't she? And from what I understand, she does not know of this yet. I am quite certain that your son and young Legolas know of the prophecy and have somewhat prepared themselves for it, but they could not have expected a woman like her. That I do know for sure."

"You are sure, things, will work out? For all of them?"

"I am certain, my queen. Please do not worry yourself over nothing. Tonight is reason to celebrate. Lady Emma will be joining us, I presume?"

"Yes, she is readying herself. I have shown her everything that she needs to know for tonight's dinner. I can only hope that my children behave themselves."

It was at this point that Elrond ceased his mutterings and took a seat next to his wife. His expression was still quite sour but at least he was quiet.

"Those boys of yours! They are quite the entertaining bunch on their own, but add in young greenleaf and I can only imagine the chaos you deal with around here," Mithrandir chuckled.

"They are quite the handful, despite their age and maturity, but I would not have it any other way. Things have been different since Arwen left. How I miss my daughter!"

"But she is happy in Lothlorien with Haldir, no?"

"Oh yes, very happy indeed. They are trying for children now. I do hope they conceive. Grandchildren would be so lovely."

Both men chuckled to themselves at the wistful look on the queen's face. Sensing that the intense mood of the room had disappeared, Elrond and Mithrandir exchanged a look, one apologizing and one accepting. Things were calm for now, but would soon come to a head later.

"I believe dinner should be ready soon. Shall we go to the dining room and check on the progress?" Elrond asked Celebrian.

"Yes, my love, of course. Mithrandir, I do hope you will be joining us for dinner?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said with twinkling eyes.

The wizard stood up and opened the doors to allow the royal couple through. He closed them behind him and joined his old friends on their way to dinner. The prophecy, while intimidating, was nothing to be feared. Estel has conquered more in his life than many have over many lifetimes. He would be fine. Legolas would be fine as well. That young elf was too smart for his own good sometimes. Yes, they would figure out the prophecy much sooner than everyone else. And Lady Emma. There was so much about her that no one yet knew. Hopefully, this dinner would provide the first window into her life. After all, she would be joining the royal family of Rivendell shortly. Well, shortly in elven time that is.

* * *

**Estel's Private Rooms...**

The boys had finished cleaning up from their day of practice, though cleaning would be the loose term to be used to describe the process. In order to conserve the hot water in the bath, Legolas joined his lover in his bath, thus making them take much longer than they would separately. Hands washed and caressed skin, cleaning the dirt and grim from the day away with loving strokes. That is, until those hands began to wander lower on bodies still harboring pent up energy from their practice session. Legolas leaned his head back as Estel let his hands wander the expanse of his lover's chest. The smooth, pale sin always fascinated him, though he himself was just as smooth with the exception of his face. For some reason, Estel inherited some of his more human genes before he made the decision to live an immortal life next to his lover. Estel moved his lips to follow his hands, finally reaching their destination. Legolas let out a loud moan and chuckled lightly.

"Oh my love, you are a devil."

The only response he received was Estel taking him deep into his throat. Another moan escaped the blonde elf, as his hands tightened in the dark hair of his lover. Estel worked Legolas's big, thick, hard member for a few more minutes before he resurfaced from the water, gasping for breath. He was immediately pulled into an intense kiss, tongues meeting and battling for dominance. One of his hands tangled in his blonde locks while the other went back to its previous position, wrapped around Legolas's hardened member and pumped it slowly. Legolas, in turn, wrapped a hand around Estel's neck while his other hand grabbed his hard length and pumped in time to Estel's hand. Both were soon moaning and grunting into each other's mouths.

"You seem tense, lover. Is there nothing I can do to ease the tension?" Estel asked with a wicked smirk.

"Perhaps, but I suppose I should return the favor since you seem tense as well, no?"

There were no more words as their hands sped up, pumping in time with each other. Their breathing became heavy, each panting and gasping for breath. They thrust their hips together, trying to maximize the friction in the position in which they were seated in the bath. Faster and harder they came closer and closer to that ever desired high, that edge that they were so willing to jump off of together.

"Estel," moaned Legolas, "I am so close. I don't want to go without you."

"Mmm, me too," he moaned in return.

Their hands moved faster on each other and within seconds, they both fell over that most blissful edge. They came together, moaning into each other's mouth as their hips thrust together to prolong their euphoria. Legolas entwined his hands with Estel's and pulled their bodies even closer together, leaving no space between them. Their breathing finally quieted and settled and allowed them to relax a bit before having to ready themselves for dinner.

"I must say I do feel much better now. Absolutely no stress or tension whatsoever," Legolas proclaimed.

Estel let out a hearty laugh and cuddled closer to his lover.

"I am glad that I could relieve that stress and tension for you."

"And you? Do you feel relaxed?"

"Yes I do. You always did have the most talented hands."

More chuckles escaped the couple before they decided to dry off and prepare for dinner. They exited the bath after toweling off and wandered into the bedroom completely naked. There was no shame between them. They loved each other completely, and they were elves. Elves had a freedom with their bodies that no mere mortal could truly understand. They went to their separate wardrobes and selected their attire for the night. Legolas selected a light gray, silk tunic with darker gray leggings, and Estel chose a light blue, silk tunic with darker blue leggings. They both slipped on a pair of dark gray boots and then proceeded to braid their hair in the traditional warrior braids of their people. Once finished, they checked the time and decided that they would just arrive a little early for dinner. They left the room, closing the doors behind them and ventured through the halls.

* * *

**Private Royal Dining Room...**

They met Estel's twin brothers on the way and talked and laughed with them until they arrived at their private dining chambers. Two guards opened the doors to the room for them and they were surprised to find their parents as well as Mithrandir already waiting for them.

"Well, speak of the devils and they always shall appear," the White Wizard laughed.

The four elves entered and took their places at the table. The twins sat next to each other, next to the queen while Estel and Legolas sat on the opposite side of the table.

"Mithrandir, what a pleasant surprise. We were not expecting you so soon, though we are pleased to have you here," said Estel with a smile.

"Ah, young one, it is good to see you, too. And you, young greenleaf, I half expected you to be stuck at your father's side. Tell me, how did you manage to escape?"

"I merely explained that I needed to spend more time with Estel, as I have been neglecting him as of late."

Mithrandir simply raised an eyebrow in response.

"Lets not forget to mention how you climbed out of your bedroom window, saddled up your horse and bolted out of the kingdom while your father was sound asleep," Elrohir snickered.

Legolas shot him a nasty glare, but soon felt his lips pull to the side in a smug smirk.

"Yes, that is true. Thank you for reminding me of my success where you attempt at the every same thing resulted in complete failure and utter embarrassment for nearly two hundred years," he said smartly.

At this everyone could not help but laugh. Elrohir sat back in his seat, slouching like a child and pouted. This only made those present laugh harder and louder. As their laughter echoed through the candlelit room, a servant entered quietly and informed Lord Elrond that dinner was ready to be served. He gave the signal for the servants to bring out the wonderful dinner that was prepared when there was a knock on the main doors. They opened to reveal Lady Emma, dressed in one the most beautiful gowns the boys had ever seen. It was a light green gown, made of the finest silk and chiffon that was tight across and down the bodice and then flowed gently to the floor. It hugged her arms, just below her shoulders, exposing her elegant neck that was decorated with a simple silver necklace. Her hair was braided away from her face and then flowed down her back to her waist in large, soft curls. Her face was not painted, instead fresh and clean. She shyly entered the room with her head bowed and eyes focused on the floor. She took a deep breath and raised her head, looking at Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner. It is most graciously appreciated," she said as she gave a slight curtsy.

"There is no need to thank us. You are our personal guest and will be treated as such. Please, come and join us at the table. Dinner is on its way out," Lady Celebrian said with a gentle sweep of her hand.

She approached the table and all of the males stood, as is proper when a lady joins their company. Estel moved over to the empty seat that was next to him, allowing Emma to have the seat between him and Legolas. She smiled shyly in thanks and quickly took her seat. Everyone sat down once again and the servants came out and placed the dinner plates in front of each of them. They all picked up their silverware and began to eat. The dinner was absolutely perfect, the most tender chicken in a light pink sauce, with grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes. Polite conversation was made by all. Once dinner was cleared away, the servants brought out the light pink elven wine, a favorite of the queen's. The glasses were filled and the servants disappeared back into the kitchens. Lady Celebrian lightly tapped her glass to gain everyone's attention.

"I would like to make a toast to our new friend, Lady Emma."

"If I may, my dear, I would like to say the toast instead," Mithrandir interjected.

"Of course."

"There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships, are friendships, and may they always be."

Everyone took a drink and then continued on their conversations. The twins were joking with each other and messing around, their glasses never empty. Mithrandir and the king and queen of Rivendell were involved in a quiet conversation all their own. This left Estel, Legolas and Emma to themselves. There was a small silence before Estel decided to get to know this lovely woman who had graced them with her presence that night.

"Lady Emma, I must say that I was surprised to learn that you would be joining us tonight. I did not know that my parents were expecting you."

"It wasn't exactly expected. Your brothers found me. I was lost in the forest and thankfully they were nearby and took pity on me and brought me to safety," she replied softly.

Estel and Legolas shared a look, now knowing that this fair maiden was here by no coincidence. But what her purpose was they did not know. Perhaps the wizard is here because of her. But while they were silently conversing with one another, they missed the knowing looks that the elders sent their way.

"Well, whatever the reason you are here, you are most welcome in our kingdom. I look forward to learning more about you while you are here."

"Thank you, Estel. You are truly most kind," she blushed.

"Tell us, where are you from, Lady Emma? Lord Elrond tells us that he has no recollection of your city," Legolas said as he took a sip of the sweet wine in his glass.

She looked into his deep, blue ocean eyes and was momentarily struck by their ethereal beauty. Her breath caught and she coughed lightly. She subtly shook her head to focus and answer his question.

"From what I understand, my hometown is not even in this world. I'm from a town called Butte, Montana."

"I fear you may be right. I do not recall any town or city or village of that name, and we have been all over this world on our travels," Legolas replied. "You must feel a little lonely here, am I right?"

"I am not lonely. Everyone has been so nice and kind to me."

"But you are lonely, you can see it in your eyes," said Estel.

"Well, I suppose it is a little lonely here. But I am sure that it won't be for long. I am hoping to make some friends here."

"And who are you planning to make friends with, my lady?" Estel asked with a smile.

"Well, Ariella seems very nice. She was most helpful tonight to help me get ready for dinner. She has been the only one I have actually talked to, seeing as how I've only been here for less than a day. But still, she very good company and is always patient with me. I think we will be friends while I am here."

"I am glad to hear that. But I wonder, who else will you befriend? Surely, you cannot expect to have only one friend around here. What happens when she needs to attend her duties during the day? Who will you be with then?" Estel asked.

"Oh, I didn't think of that," she said sullenly.

She hung her head and it was this movement that caught everyone's attention at the table.

"I suppose I will just stay in my room. There are plenty of books in there so I won't be bored or anything. I will be fine with that," she finished.

"Good heavens, child! You will do no such thing!" Lady Celebrian nearly shouted.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. I did not know that those books were not for me to read."

"Books? No, little one. You can read them anytime you wish," said Lord Elrond.

"Oh. I understand. I will only speak to Ariella when I need something."

"Darling girl, you do not have to avoid Miss Ariella. You can be the best of friends with her. And you are always welcome to anything in the palace here, including the books in your room. I believe what the queen means is that you should consider making more friendships while you are here. That is all. I hope you are not upset by anything that has been said on this subject," said Mithrandir.

"No sir, I understand. I apologize, your majesty. I did not take offense to anything you said. I am sorry if you felt that way."

"Of course not, little one. Everything is fine. I just want to make sure that you can enjoy your time with us. I was going to suggest that you get to know my sons, as they will have no duties to attend to until the Summer Solstice Festival."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. They can give you a tour of the palace and the palace grounds tomorrow," Lord Elrond confirmed.

This statement halted the twins' conversation and caused Legolas and Estel to turn their full attention to the king and queen. Mithrandir smiled to himself and quietly sipped his wine. No one spoke for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. And then, for some reason, Estel and Legolas voiced their thoughts at the same time.

"We'll do it," they both said with excitement.

Now they had everyone's attention.

"What we mean is, we would love to escort Lady Emma around the palace and its grounds tomorrow. We have nothing important to do and would love to remain in the company of this lovely maiden for as long as we can," Legolas clarified.

"I am happy to hear that. Lady Emma, I hope you will accept their offer to accompany you tomorrow," Lord Elrond suggested.

"Yes, sir. Thank you Legolas, thank you Estel, for volunteering your time tomorrow to help me get acquainted with your home," Emma said shyly.

There was just something about these elves that drew her towards them. Of course, all of the elves I have seen so far today have been absolutely beautiful, but these two just radiated something that drew her in like a moth to a flame. Their beauty was almost too much for her to stand, but she somehow felt natural around them, like she was meant to be there.

She mentally shook her head and smiled her thanks to them again.

"The pleasure will be all ours, my lady, I can assure you," Estel said, lowering his voice just a bit.

She felt a shiver pass through her body, settling in her lower abdomen with a warmth she had never felt before. His voice was smooth and deep, caressing her with its perfect timber. Add everything together and she knew that Estel was one very seductive elf. A seductive elf who seemed to want something from her.

"Yes, the pleasure will be ours, my lady," Legolas echoed with a sly grin.

Another shiver passed through her and this time she had to close her eyes for a moment to compose herself. With a voice just as deep and seductive as Estel's, Legolas enjoyed her reaction to them as much as Estel had. They both noticed the subtle shivers and felt pride that they were able to shake this maiden's composure. A few snickers from across the table had their heads snapping to glare at the twins.

"That settles it then. Lady Emma, you will be shown the palace and its grounds tomorrow, escorted by Estel and Legolas. They will treat you with the utmost respect, I assure you. Now, since dinner is over and the hour is growing late, they will escort you back to your rooms. Estel, Legolas, she is with us in the royal chambers in the guest room," said Elrond.

"Yes, father. Lady Emma, will you allow us to escort to your chambers for the night?" asked Estel.

"Yes, thank you. It is most appreciated."

Everyone stood from the table and made their way to entertain themselves for the rest of the night. Legolas and Estel offered their arms to Emma and lead her out of the dining hall and threw the maze of hallways to the royal chambers. As they walked together, with Emma in the middle, the first part of the prophecy occurred. Unknown to all of them, their hearts began to beat in sync with one another. Complete, perfect unison. They let out a simultaneous sigh and Legolas and Estel moved closer to Emma, causing her hands to ride up on their arms to rest on their sculpted biceps. A slight blush rose to her cheeks as she felt their strong muscles underneath her hands. She had this ridiculous urge to squeeze their arms, to test if they were as strong as they looked, but managed to refrain from doing so. They finally reached her rooms in the royal chambers, and she reluctantly extracted her arms from them. She could not find a reason as to why her heart felt heavy at the thought of leaving these two elves for the night. She would be seeing them tomorrow, for the entire day, yet she dreaded saying goodnight.

"Thank you both for returning me to my rooms. I definitely would have gotten lost if I had to find my own way back," she said.

"Of course, my lady. We would not want you alone and wandering the halls. They can be quite confusing to someone who is not familiar with them," said Legolas.

"Still, thank you."

"Twas nothing, we assure you," said Estel.

"Well, goodnight then. I shall see you both tomorrow?"

"Yes, my lady," they both said.

"Goodnight."

"Sleep well," they said.

With one last shy smile, she closed the doors behind her. Estel and Legolas both took a deep breath and made their way to their own room for the night. Tomorrow would be interesting. Tomorrow would be a new day of them all.

* * *

**AN: I want to thank all of my old readers for sticking with me and my slow updating, and my new readers for checking out my story. I hope you all like this chapter. Sorry it took so long, but I wanted to get it just right. I know it kind of just ends, but that was the only way to end the chapter without making it super long. I will try to get the next update out sometime next weekend, but no promises. Please send me a review and tell me what you think. I also try to respond to all reviews. **Thanks****


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings or any recognizable characters from the novels. Just my original creations.**

_AN: I am so sorry about the late update. Work got really crazy and I am in the process of moving to LA. So I have been very busy. I am moving right after the holidays so I am not sure when the next update will come. But I promise to post it as soon as it is ready. I also want to thank everyone who has stuck with this story and all my new readers who have put on their favorite/alert lists. I know it is short, but I wanted to separate breakfast from the tour itself. So more Este/Emma/Legolas to come in the next chapter._

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

_**Emma's Room...**_

Emma woke up to the sun shining brightly through her windows. She rolled over and tried to hold on to the last, pleasurable comforts of sleep before blinking her eyes open slowly. She sighed and rolled on to her back and stared at her ceiling, recalling her dream. She dreamed she was in a beautiful garden, sat among the most amazing arrangement of flowers. The sun was shining, much like it was now, but someone stood next to her, blocking her sunlight. She turned her face upward and saw an elf. He was tall and handsome, absolutely breathtaking. He smiled and sat next to her, placing his arm around her. She didn't mind. She felt safe and warm in his embrace. A few minutes of peace passed and another elf came and sat down on her other side. He, too, embraced her and snuggled into her side. Together, all three watched the birds and other little critters move throughout the garden, smelling flowers and playing around with each other. And then, she felt the elf on her right side gently reach over her head and caress the other elf's hair, as a lover would. And she wasn't bothered by this either. She looked up at them and smiled. They both leaned down towards her and were surely about to kiss her when the sun's brightness blinded her, thrusting her back into reality.

_What a strange dream_, she thought.

She shrugged her shoulders and decided it would be best to ready herself for the day. Surely someone would be calling on her soon for breakfast. She also remembered that Legolas and Estel were showing her around the kingdom today. Her heart gave a flutter at the thought. They were very nice to offer their assistance to her, though they barely knew her. She had to admit, she was slightly jealous of them. They seemed very happy together. She would say they were perfect except for the sadness in their eyes. It was almost as if they were missing someone, someone very important to them. She felt sad for them. Maybe she could do some good here and prove her worth by helping them find this person, err, elf.

She opened her closet and selected a simple light brown dress and soft slippers for the day. If she was going to be walking around, she wanted to be comfortable. She moved into the wash room to complete her morning routine and then dressed herself. Upon opening the door, she found Ariella waiting for her.

"Good morn, Lady Emma. I trust you slept well."

"Yes, I did. Thank you. And good morning to you, too."

"Are you ready for the day? Breakfast will be served shortly."

"Yes, I think I am ready."

"You are wearing your hair like that?"

"Like what?"

"Matted?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

"What?"

"Your hair, my lady. It is matted on one side of your head. Do you not wish to brush it out before leaving your chambers?"

She turned to look in her mirror and she saw what Ariella was talking about. She must have slept deeper than she thought. Usually she moved around a little bit when she slept, but when she was in a deep sleep, she could fall out of bed and not even realize it. Her hair was completely tangled and one big mess. She felt so embarrassed, having someone see her like that. _He_ never let her out of her room if she looked anything but perfect by _his_ standards.

"I am so sorry! Please, just let me brush it quickly and then I'll be ready!" she said in a panic.

"My lady, please allow me to help. It's what I'm here for."

She paused with the brush in her hair.

"Help me?"

"Yes. Here, come sit," Ariella said as she gently lead Emma to the vanity set.

Once seated, Emma relinquished her grip on the brush and allowed Ariella to gently comb through her dark tresses. She barely felt her pulling the brush through her hair. In only a few minutes, Ariella had her hair shining and falling in gentle silk waves. Emma was very impressed. No amount of brushing on her end could result in what Ariella had accomplished in a few short minutes. Ariella took some delicate clips and clipped them in her hair to hold the pieces that she braided together. The finished product didn't even look like her hair.

"Thank you, Ariella. It looks so beautiful."

"You are most welcome, my lady. You look wonderful. Are you ready for breakfast now?"

"Yes, thank you."

* * *

_**Private Royal Dining Hall...**_

Ariella lead the way back to the private dining hall. Once there, she left Emma to her own devices. There were a few elves scattered here and there but nothing like the formal dinner from last night. She spotted the twins and decided to sit near them, so she wouldn't feel completely alone. She approached carefully, not wanting to disturb their conversation.

"Excuse me, may I sit here?"

They both looked up at her and smiled. One pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. She did so, and he pushed her seat in for her, too.

"Good morn, Lady Emma. How are you this day?" asked the twin sitting across from her.

"I am fine, thank you. And how are you?"

"We are well. Ready for another day in this boring old kingdom of ours," the twin sitting next to her laughed.

She chuckled with them and shyly tried to hide her blush. These elves were quite funny.

"Have you already eaten?" the one across from her asked.

"No, I have yet to eat."

With that, he got up and gracefully walked over to the food spread and loaded a plate for her. He brought it back to the table and placed it in front of her with a grand flourish. She giggled and thanked him, and began to eat her breakfast.

"You must forgive, Elrohir, he likes to show off for the pretty elliths," the one next to me said.

I nearly choked on a piece of cheese I was trying to swallow.

"See what you have done now, Elladan. She thinks I am trying to court her."

"Which would be a terrible plague for her to endure."

The brothers look at each other and glared for a moment, before laughing at their own ridiculousness.

"You must forgive us, Lady Emma. We are merely joking with you. You looked so timid approaching us that we thought we would lighten the mood. I suppose we over did it," said Elladan, who she now knew was seated next to her.

"That was very kind of you. Thank you for making me feel welcomed," she blushed.

"We mean no harm, I assure you," said Elrohir.

"I understand," she said with a smile and went back to eating her breakfast.

There was a small silence over the group that did not last very long, for Estel and Legolas entered the dining hall and immediately spotted Emma sitting with the twins. Thinking the worst, they sped over to her to rescue her from the twins.

"Good morn, Lady Emma. I trust these miscreants are treating you well?" Estel greeted with a firm look on his face.

"Good morning, Estel. And yes, your brothers were kind enough to let me sit with them for breakfast. They even got me a plate of the most delicious items," she smiled.

"Glad to hear it," Estel smiled down at her.

Legolas greeted her as well before wandering over to the food spread to fill plates for himself and Estel. He made his way back to the table and sat across from Estel, who was seated on her other side. They all made small talk until Legolas brought up the tour.

"Lady Emma, once you are finished with your breakfast, would you like to begin the tour?"

"Yes, very much so. I am looking forward to it."

"Wonderful."

They ate the rest of their breakfast and then servants came to collect their plates. Ariella appeared next to Emma with a light cloak, light blue in color.

"You might need this, Lady Emma. There is a slight breeze today."

"Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you."

Emma went to put on the cloak when she felt it tugged from her fingers.

"Allow me," Estel said with a grin.

He gently took it from her and turned her to face him. He swung the cloak around her tiny shoulders with practiced ease and grace. He tugged her close to him to do up the clasp in the front. This, of course, was not needed, but he wanted her closer to him. They were merely inches apart and could practically taste each other's breath. His fingers gingerly grasped the clasp and closed it securely, as his fingers teased her delicate neck. She shivered and he noticed.

"It is a good thing that Ariella brought this cloak for you to wear. You seem to be chilly, already, and we have yet to leave the palace," he grinned with a twinkle in his eye.

"It must be chilly in here," she said shyly, knowing that she did not shiver from the cold. It was actually pleasantly warm in the palace. Estel's touch had awakened something in her.

"We should be off now, if we want to make sure to show her everything before dinner is served to night," Legolas urged.

"Of course," answered Estel.

With that, they offered her their arms, which she gladly accepted. They were quite the sight to see as they exited the hall and made their way outside. From a balcony, Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian watched as their son and his lover escorted the young woman around the palace grounds. The trio was in perfect sync with one another, moving as one. They had never thought that the prophecy told all those years ago would ever come to pass, especially once Estel had begun his relationship with the young prince from Mirkwood. But perhaps, this would all work out in everyone's favor. They could only hope.

* * *

**Please read and review! Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: I am sorry for the delay in this story. Real life has gotten very complicated with balancing school and work. And recently, my ceiling has collapsed into my room due to a freak snow and ice storm right before Halloween in Philadelphia. I am working on trying to get time on my home computer to type up all the chapters I have for my stories. Again, sorry for the delay. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me, and all my new readers. I appreciate the support.**_

**Chapter 5:**

They had walked all day, from the palace to the city walls, from the market place to the plentiful gardens. Estel and Legolas made sure that they were always touching some part of Emma's form, whether it was her lower back or her hands. They were so attentive to their lady, always watching where she stepped to make sure she would not fall.

All the scenery was so beautiful, more so than anything in her world. Emma's attention was constantly bouncing around from place to place. She loved the palace, so regal and enchanting. It was like something out of a fairytale. The colors were so vivid. The greens seemed so happy, the golds sparkled in the sunlight, the browns provided a warm welcome to all. The city walls were very impressive, reaching to the sky through the trees, yet incorporating the trees in the defense. The market place was definitely one of her favorite places. It was full of all different kinds of vendors selling everything from fabrics and leather goods, to fruits and sweets. She wanted to try everything she saw, but knew if she sampled them all, she would spoil her dinner. Her longing was clear on her face, as her elven escorts led her away.

"Estel, I am hungry."

Estel looked over Emma's head at Legolas, "We have lembas. We can eat some when we arrive at the gardens. Dinner will be early tonight, you remember."

"Yes, I know. But I think something sweet is in order. We have a guest, a beautiful guest with us, and I think we should share our favorite treats with her."

Estel looked at Emma, and saw that she was trying to hide her want for the sweet treats they could smell drifting in the air. He was thankful that Legolas had brought it up in a way that did not embarrass her.

"I think that's a great idea, Legolas. Please, if you will, go purchase something for us, that we can all share. I think those fruit tarts would be a nice addition to the lembas."

Legolas nodded, and trotted off to the stand selling the little delights. Emma watched his every move, how the sun shined down on his golden hair, the way his muscles moved beneath his clothes, how his cheeks were rosy pink in excitement. He was truly a beautiful creature. She felt an arm slip around her waist, and pull her closer to a warm body. She glanced to her left, and saw Estel looking down at her with a smile on his face. Though several days worth of beard graced his face, it added a rugged, dangerous touch to his beauty. While Legolas was a light fantasy, Estel was a dark mystery. His dark hair was shorter and more wavy than Legolas', but his eyes sparkled just as bright, and his muscles were just as strong. She shook her head slightly. She had to remind herself that she was a stranger in this land, and these men, elves, were nice enough to accept her presence. She was grateful, but needed to remember that she did not belong to their magical world.

Legolas returned with their sweets, and together they all made their way to the main gardens. There were thousands upon thousands of flowers, and trees, and shrubs, arranged in artistic designs. All the colors of the rainbow were present. She recognized some species, but others seemed to be straight out of her imagination. Her escorts pointed out things here and there, some statues and water features, but they were more concerned with arriving at their final destination of the tour.

"What is this?" Emma asked, as she wandered over to a particularly colorful flower.

It grew on a vine, twisting and turning up a trellis. She guessed that the gardeners had to stay on top of this plant, otherwise it would grow out of control.

"That is a Lady's Mind flower," Legolas answered, coming up behind her just in time to keep her from touching the plant. "I would not touch that, my lady. Though beautiful and fascinating in its own way, the Lady's Mind flower is quite dangerous."

"Father used to say it is an exact duplicate of a maiden's mind. Unfortunately, mother overheard him one day and put an end to that little joke," Estel chuckled, as he joined them.

"What is so dangerous about it?" Emma asked shyly.

"The legend is that if one were to touch the flower, they would be poisoned through their mind, slowly going insane until nothing of their true self was left," answered Legolas.

"Like a zombie?" she asked, trying to make a connection she was familiar with.

Both elves looked at her strangely, not understanding her reference. She felt embarrassed, and lowered her head. Their reaction reminded Emma that she was very different here, in more ways than one. She felt two hands reach under her chin, and gently lift it with soft fingers.

"Why do you hide your face from us? Have we offended you, my lady?" asked Estel.

She could see the same question and worry on Legolas' face.

"No, you have done nothing to offend me. I promise," she reassured at their skeptical expressions. "I was just reminded that I am very different from you, from your world. The reference I tried to make was from my world, something that you would not understand. I just realized that you would not understand, no matter how much I tried to explain it. I suppose I am feeling a little homesick, that's all."

"Do you wish to return home, Lady Emma?" asked Legolas.

His gaze was sad, like she would say yes, and demand to be taken home immediately.

"No!" she shouted quickly.

They looked at her for a moment, and she was afraid that they would know her secret, that they would figure out what kind of woman she really was. After all, it was all _he_ told her every day they were together. It must be true on some level, even if she could not clearly see the problem. But maybe that was her problem, well, at least part of her problem. She knew there were many more. _He_ had told her so.

"I mean, no, I am not homesick. Well, maybe a little. I miss the familiar things, like cars and TV and radio."

Legolas and Estel simply nodded along, keeping their expressions concerned, rather than confused so as not to discourage her from talking about her world.

"But other than that, I guess I do not really miss anything too much. I just wish we could connect more, understand each other better, without all of the explanations," she finished, bashfully ducking her head again.

"Well, I think the best way to move forward is to learn something new about each other every day you are with us. And the first thing you should know about us, is that we always want you to look us in the eye. Never hide yourself from us. We will not pass judgment on you, for it is not our place, nor anyone else's. I think that is a fair start. Do you agree?" said Estel.

Legolas looked at his lover. He truly was born to be king. Very diplomatic, very fair, and always willing to compromise. He was thankful that Estel took the lead this time, because if it had been left to him, he would have demanded to know who had forced her to hide herself from others, who had lowered this beautiful creature's self-esteem. Legolas knew that his temper could get the better of him at times, but he also knew how to control himself, and channel it in a productive way. He would uncover all of her secrets. That was a promise.

"That would be nice," she said shyly.

Both elves smiled in reply, and proceeded to tug her along to their final destination. Emma followed along blindly, trusting them to not let her fall behind. Her cloak fluttered in the light breeze, trailing behind her. The elves wore no cloaks, claiming that they were used to the weather here, and were fine without them. She wondered if it was an elf thing, since she did not see any other elves wearing cloaks; perhaps it was similar to living in certain parts of a country, like when she would see tourists bundled up in her city, claiming that they were freezing. She remembered laughing to herself, thinking how strange they were. But here she was now, bundled up like those silly tourists.

Not paying attention to the fact that her escorts has stopped, she bumped into their backs, and stumbled on her feet. They both reached out and steadied her, keeping their hands on her lower back. She had to admit to herself that she rather enjoyed their reassuring touches and gestures. She felt their warmth through the heavy cloak, and through her dress. It was like she knew their touch, like they were familiar to her somehow. She felt a blush rise on her cheeks, and tried to distract them from noticing.

"Are we finished with the tour? Is that why we stopped?"

"No, little one," Legolas laughed, "we have not finished with the tour. This is merely the last stop on the official tour. We have yet to show you all the secret hiding spots, and hidden treasures of this grand city."

"What else is there to see?"

"You have not seen every room in the palace, and I know you have not seen the library yet."

"There is a library?" Emma asked, her eyes sparking at the mention of books.

"Yes, Lady Emma," Estel smiled, "my father's library collection is second to none, if I do say so myself. If you would like to see it, we could take you there after dinner tonight. At that time, there should not be too many visitors, so you could have free range in there."

"Oh, do you really mean it? That would be amazing! I love books. Whenever I could, I would sneak off from work or at the house, and lose myself in a book for several hours. Sometimes I would read all day and night, completely losing track of time. _He_ would-"

Emma cut herself off, not wanting to reveal her secrets. She did not know these elves, though they seemed very genuine in their concern for her. She wanted to tell someone, but then she would have to admit all of her wrongs. She did not want to make a bad impression on these kind folk.

Legolas and Estel noticed her hesitation to continue, and decided that it would be best not to press her for more information. She would talk in time, well, at least they hoped she would. There was something about her, something she was hiding. Elrond had hinted at it, but gave no indication that he knew what it was. Perhaps, Estel thought, it was time to talk to him about their surprise guest. They decided to let the topic be for now, and led her through a wrought iron gate, into a smaller and more private garden.

She glanced around, in awe of its beauty. Reds, golds, oranges, and yellows blended together in a remarkable pattern. The varying shades of green created shadows and highlights, without need of the sun. The sun served as an added bonus this day, making all the plants look like they could come to life at any moment. Exotic birds flew here and there, sometimes swooping close to her head, to see what kind of creature she was. Legolas and Estel were at ease in this garden, and began to set up their little picnic while Emma continued to admire the scenery. They watched as she wandered around the garden, smelling some flowers, gently caressing vines, and tickling her fingers in the fountains and bird baths. A butterfly circled her head before landing on her nose. The elves chuckled as she crossed her eyes, trying to get a good look at it, but only looking silly as she tried.

"Lady Emma, come sit with us," Legolas motioned her over with his hand, "we should eat a little something before we return you to your quarters. It will be a bit of a walk back, unless you want to take the short cut through the servants' entrance of the palace."

She was startled as the butterfly suddenly took off, and pouted, sad that she did not get a good look at the little insect. Emma made her way over to the elves, seated on tree stumps that were carved into little stools, and placed herself between them. She wondered why they did not want to sit next to each other; they seemed to be very close, if not lovers. She thought that they would make a beautiful couple, and felt slightly jealous at the easiness of their interaction. She wished that she could at ease like that with a male. Perhaps, one day.

They all munched on the lembas bread Estel was thoughtful enough to bring. Emma was a bit nervous to try the strange food, but seeing that the two elves were happily gobbling it down, she decided that it would not kill her. Tentatively taking a bite, she chewed slowly, savoring the sweet taste. It was almost like a pastry crust, or dough, but not quite. She could taste the sugar and honey, but also tasted salt and a spice she could not name. It was delicious. She knew it would definitely be one of her favorite treats for however long she remained in this fantastical kingdom.

"Enjoying the bread?" Estel laughed, seeing her with a finger in her mouth.

Emma could not resist licking her fingers clean, and was caught in the act.

"Very much so. It really is delicious," she blushed. "Does everyone complement the bread, or am I just strange?"

Estel answered her saying, "You are not strange, my lady. Lembas is a favorite snack among elves, sometimes we even eat it as a meal. There are many different varieties, so you can find just about any flavor combination you wish to find. And if not, there is always someone eager to learn a new recipe and try new things."

"That's good to know. I used to cook, in my world. Nothing fancy or anything, but cooking and baking were fun and definitely things that I enjoyed. It was a nice way for me to relax."

"Perhaps we could introduce her to the head chef, Estel. I think they would get along quite well, and besides, Amras will be happy to know another shares his passion," said Legolas.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to bother anyone."

"Trust me, my lady, you would not be bothering him. He has not had anyone take an interest in his craft for centuries. He will be most happy to meet you. Oh, before I forget, let me get the tarts."

Legolas fiddled with the tarts that were wrapped in nice, cloth, packages and tied up with string. After a few moments, he was successful in unveiling the treats he had purchased a few hours before. He handed two to Estel, who in turn handed one to Emma. She looked at it for a moment, before taking a tentative bite. Sweet flavors of raspberry and blackberry hit her tongue, teasing her senses. The little pastry was easily the most delightful treat she had ever eaten. She wanted to savor every bite, and tried to make the little dessert last as long as possible. Emma looked over at her escorts, only to find no pastries in their hands; crumbs dotted their fingers, and when they noticed her looking at them, they quickly cleaned their hands.

"Forgive us, my lady, we cannot resist sweets for very long," Legolas said bashfully.

"I understand. I just want to make mine last forever," she responded.

"No worries, there are plenty more where they came from. We can always have Amras make some, or if you are so inclined, we can return to the market stand and purchase more," said Estel.

"Please, don't waste your money on me. You don't need to."

"But you are our guest. It is our duty to spend money on you, and spoil you so that you will want to stay here forever."

Legolas shot his lover a look, over Emma's head. He knew Estel's words meant no harm, but Emma was fragile, and might take them the wrong way, or think that they were being too forward. Estel caught the look and quickly backtracked his statement.

"What I mean is, we want you to like it here. If you decide to stay, or return home, we want to know that you enjoyed your time here. Maybe even consider returning for a visit, if it pleases you."

"It would greatly please me to stay here. I am not sure if that will be possible, but if it is not, I would love to return for a visit, many visits."

"Good to know. We shall keep that in mind, won't we _melamin_?"

"Of course, of course," Legolas replied.

Looking up at the sun and its position in the sky, Estel suggested that they wrap up their exploration in favor of returning in time to prepare for the dinner feast. They all agreed, and gathered themselves together, and made their way back. Not wanting to take the long way, they led her through the servants' entrance into the palace. They weaved their way through tunnels and narrow hallways, giggling and laughing amongst themselves. The servants they passed along the way merely shook their heads, used to the antics of their prince and his lover. They eventually emerged in the main kitchen, and spotted Amras hovering over other cooks at the stoves, his brown hair tied back in an intricate braid, his tunic sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

"Amras! Amras! We have a surprise for you!" Legolas shouted.

The head chef turned around, grumpy at being disturbed, but curious about his surprise. He was hoping for some peace and quiet, or at the very least no more interruptions until after the dinner feast. But he was quite surprised to find the mysterious palace guest in their company. She was as beautiful as the gossip declared her to be, and the shyest little thing he had ever seen. She tried to hide herself behind the young princes, but it was too late, he was already taken with her.

"And what are you hiding, young master? Please tell me that you did not bride one of the servants into gallivanting around with the two of you again," Amras begged.

"Nothing of the sort! I am shocked that you would accuse us of such an act," Estel exclaimed, trying to portray his innocence.

Amras was not fooled. He was nearly as old as Elrond, and knew Estel and his lover since they were mere elflings. He leveled them with a look, and they caved.

"This is Lady Emma, our guest. We took her on a brief tour of the grounds around the palace and the market place. We are just returning from the gardens, and on our way to prepare for your wonderful and delicious feast, no doubt. But we wanted to introduce you to the lady, because back where she hails from, she was quite the little chef herself. She loves to cook and bake!"

The little woman blushed to the roots of her hair. The poor thing, he thought. He decided to take the spotlight off of her.

"Well, that is truly a wonderful thing, Lady Emma. Cooking and baking can be quite relaxing, if done right!" Amras shouted the last part, turning his head back to the other cooks. That was Amras, never let anything get past him on his watch. "But, I invite you, my lady, to join me at a less hectic time, so that I may see your skills in the kitchen. Would that be acceptable?" he asked, looking at Emma, but really addressing the two princes.

He was no fool. He knew of the prophecy and the rumors that were now circling the trio.

"Of course, that should be fine. What do you think, my lady?" Estel said.

"That would truly be a gift. I have always wanted to learn from a professional chef. I would be honored, thank you," Emma replied sweetly.

"That settles it, then. Now shoo," he motioned them out with his hands, "there is still work to be done for tonight."

The trio left the kitchens, with Legolas and Estel still leading her around. With everything that she had seen, she was sure that it would take her forever to learn her own way around, without getting lost. But for now, it was not terrible having these two beautifully handsome elves escorting her everywhere. They arrived at her room, and paused for a moment.

"My lady, it was truly an honor to be in your presence today. I know we are both looking forward to seeing you at dinner," Estel said, bowing to her to show respect.

"No, really, um, I'm just thankful that you did not tire of me and my endless questions."

Legolas chuckled, "We could never tire of you. Any new friend we make, we cherish, no matter how many questions or comments they make. You are truly a gem to be around. Perhaps, you might allow us to escort you to dinner, then a private rendezvous in the grand library, as promised?"

Emma's eyes lit up, and she smiled widely. "That sounds fantastic! Um, so I guess I should start getting ready. Um, should I ask someone to find you when I am ready?"

"No need. We will call on you when it is time. For now, we shall leave you to prepare," Estel replied.

"_Tenna __'telwan __san_," Legolas bowed, kissing her hand lightly.

Emma looked at him, very confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means, 'until later then'. A short farewell, since we will see each other again very shortly."

"Your language is beautiful. I wish I could speak it."

"Maybe if you stay long enough, you will," Estel winked as he turned to head to his rooms.

Legolas followed his lover, and Emma watched them walk away. She felt sad, as they turned the corner and disappeared from her sight. She was being silly. She was only clinging to them because they were two of the very few people who welcomed her to this strange new world. Emma sighed and entered her rooms, closing the doors softly behind her. She needed to prepare for dinner. Maybe this time she would not need help from Ariella with fastening her dress, she wondered.

* * *

Translation: _Melamin_ = my love;

_Tenna 'telwan san_ = until later then (I got these translations from a website. Sorry if they are wrong.)

_**Please review. It helps a gerat deal to know that people are still reading my stories, even though I update them very slowly.**_


	6. Chapter 6

First, I want to apologize for not updating over two years. I didn't forget about these stories. After obtaining my Master's in English and my Master's of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, I find I am a much better writer than when I started on this site.

That being said, I have decided to take down these stories, and start new. Some will be the same, but with better writing, others will be completely different.

I apologize to those who were looking forward to the continuation of these particular story lines, but I feel it is for the best to start from scratch and give the readers on this site something worth reading.

Thanks for sticking with me, and hope any readers will follow me with my next endeavors.

I will say this. My next stories will be in the Lord of the Rings category.


End file.
